The dragster legend is calling it quits: After his serious injury, John Force explains why he will not be returning to the cockpit.
Dragster legend John Force has officially announced his retirement at the age of 76. The 16-time NHRA Funny Car champion is retiring from active motorsport just over a year after his serious accident at the 2024 Virginia Nationals event in Richmond. Force suffered a traumatic brain injury in the crash at more than 300 miles per hour and subsequently spent several months undergoing intensive medical treatment.
After his recovery, Force returned to the racetrack, but was replaced by Jack Beckman in his own team’s Chevrolet SS for the 2024 and 2025 seasons. Now the American has confirmed that he will not be returning to the cockpit. The announcement came on the same day that his daughter Brittany also announced her retirement.
In a video message, Force said: “It’s been over a year, but I was and continue to be under medical supervision. If I say something wrong, please excuse me. It’s time for me to retire, and everything makes sense, even though I still have medical issues to take care of. Do I want to get back in the car and get hit in the head again? I don’t want that.“
Force also emphasized that his growing family played an important role in his decision: ”I have new grandchildren. Courtney just had a baby girl, and she already has two daughters, Harlan and Tinley. We also have Autumn and, of course, Jacob and Noah. So there’s a new generation following me, just like my daughters.”
John Force Announces Retirement pic.twitter.com/4MOzgVdgxC
— John Force Racing (@JFR_Racing) November 13, 2025
The 157-time NHRA race winner admitted that he now has to reevaluate his previous statements: “I never wanted to get hurt, and I often said that I would stay in the car until my race car caught up with me. I always meant that. But I have been seriously injured.”
With 16 NHRA and one AHRA titles, Force is one of the most successful drag racers in the history of the sport. In 2008, he was inducted into the US Motorsports Hall of Fame, and his team, John Force Racing, has been shaping US drag racing for more than three decades.
However, Force will not disappear from the racetrack entirely. He announced that he would continue to be present at NHRA weekends and develop his team further. With a wink, he even left open a few small exceptions: “I’m going to expand my organization. I’m excited about the direction we’re taking. I love this sport, I love the NHRA.“
”I’m officially done driving, even though that word is hard for me to say. The truth is, I was pulled out of the car in Richmond. Many people thought I was done for at the time. I’m lucky to be able to walk again, even though I’m still under medical supervision.”
Force concluded by saying, “I’m done. I’m not going to say that I’ll never get in the car to warm it up or maybe do a burnout. I don’t know. Maybe it depends on how the fans react. If you cheer loud enough, I’ll hear you.”